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Fire Alarms
Introduction I have only recently started developing a little bit of an interest in Fire Alarms. I am mostly interesting in Manual Call Points (MCP's) and Speakers. Most Fire Alarms systems in NZ are made by either Pertronic or Wormald. The former of these two provides equipment for many other companies, including Chubb, Argus, Fire & Security Services Ltd. and more. Wormald uses the same alarm speakers as Pertronic, but use different Manual Call-points. Some other companies also choose to use different MCP's than those offered by Pertronic. The sound made by NZ fire Alarms was standardized in 2003, and it is a legal requirement for all systems post-2003 to use this alert sound. If you ever hear a fire alarm that makes a different sound, then it must be older than 2003. Manual Call Points (MCPs) A Manual Call Point (American's may know them as "Pull Stations") is a special switch that can be pressed to activate a fire alarm in an emergency. New Zealand has certain guidelines on how Manual Call Points (MCP's) have to be designed. The following is the exact wording from those guidelines: Manual call points shall be of a strong, rigid construction. The method of operation shall be two-stage, either: ' (a) The breaking or displacing of a frangible or resettable element followed by the manual operation of a switch; or ' (b) The opening of a transparent cover or flap followed by the breaking or displacing of a frangible or resettable element. All manual call points shall provide a visual indication of operation. This indication shall latch in the alarm condition until manually reset from the control unit. '''' As you can see, all MCP's in New Zealand have to be "two stage". This means that a protective layer of glass or plastic must be either broken or opened to access the switch. This is to prevent accidental activation in the event that someone hits that MCP by accident. Some MCP's have glass or plastic covers that you break, while others use a flap. Some MCP's have one-use covers (such as glass), therefore requiring them to be replaced after use, whereas others are re-settable. Pertronic "Switch Down" with SnapGlaze These are very common two-stage MCP's, which require you to push in the SnapGlaze and then press a switch to the down position. "SnapGlaze" is a design patented by Pertronic that replaces glass with a plastic system, which simply 'snaps' (hence the name) out of the frame. This is much safer than glass, as you cannot cut yourself on it. Also, SnapGlaze is reusable, as it can be re-set by 'snapping' the pushed out piece of plastic back in again. This is much better than glass, which you have to replace when it gets broken. Pertronic currently only offers this MCP with the larger "rocker" switch (second to last picture). The variant with the smaller switch has been discontinued. Finding one with the larger switch is rare, as nearly all Pertronic MCPs these days use the push button (see below). DSCN4842.JPG DSCN4944.JPG DSCN5191.JPG DSCN6304.JPG DSCN6305.JPG DSCN4836.JPG DSCN5055.JPG DSCN6452.JPG DSCN6453.JPG DSCN5113.JPG DSCN6095.JPG Pertronic "Push Switch" with SnapGlaze These are the same as above, but use a push-button instead of a switch. These are a more recent design, and are becoming very common in both new buildings and refurbished old systems. These also come with the aforementioned "SnapGlaze" DSCN6273.JPG DSCN4833.JPG DSCN5407.JPG DSCN4843.JPG DSCN5068.JPG DSCN5521.JPG DSCN5661.JPG DSCN5747.JPG DSCN5748.JPG DSCN5749.JPG DSCN5751.JPG Pertronic with "Break Glass" Despite the invention of SnapGlaze, Pertronic does offer the option of the traditional "Break Glass" instead. These are actually very rare, and whenever they are used, it is usually because of low-budget reasons (the glass is cheaper than SnapGlaze). The only places I know of that has Break-Glass Pertronic MCP's are a couple of high schools (including my old one). Quite often is the case that the MCP had SnapGlaze when installed, but was replaced by glass either when the SnapGlaze eventually broke, or becuase the person resetting the call point was an idiot who didn't know it was reusable. DSCN5855.JPG DSCN5857.JPG DSCN5854.JPG DSCN5856.JPG DSCN5858.JPG DSCN5859.JPG DSCN5861.JPG DSCN5982.JPG DSCN5983.JPG DSCN5984.JPG Pertronic with Round SnapGlaze Pertronic used to make their SnapGlaze in a circle-shape, instead of the usual square. They have since discontinued this. They are incredibly rare, and so far I have only found one actual one (which I could only get a shoddy photo of through a window). The second photo is of another, which has sadly been modified with a regular square Snap-Glaze installed behind the hole for the round one. DSCN5997.JPG DSCN6154.JPG Custom-Made Vigilant/Tyco w/ Pertronic Switch The Old Bank Shopping Arcade in Wellington has these very unique custom-made call-points. they feature a brass plate instead of red plastic. The switch is a typical Pertronic CPPIN switch, however the shape & glass of these call-points more closely resembles Tyco/Vigilant's design. It is possible that these were made by Wormald and later had their switches replaced by Pertronic (or that Pertronic installed them and Wormald replaced the covers), but in all truth I have no idea. DSCN5067.JPG DSCN5069.JPG Vigilant/Tyco Series 130 "Break Glass" (Tyco FP0324) These MCP's are made by Vigilant/Tyco. They are similar to Pertronic's CPP "Switch Down", but use glass instead of plastic. This is disadvantageous, because you can cut yourself on it. It is also not reusable, so the glass has to be replaced with a new sheet each time it is broken. That said, the one advantage these MCP's have is that they are larger than Pertronic's, and have more red on them, as well as the word "FIRE" written in bigger letters, making them easier to see. These MCP's are mostly used by Wormald, however some other companies have been known to install them. I have also seen a number of these call-points located outside some Fire Stations. I do not know the exact purpose of these, but I assume that it is to manually call out the fire brigade. There are no signs confirming this. DSCN4837.JPG DSCN4832.JPG DSCN6419.JPG DSCN6751.JPG|RARE: White switch! DSCN6748.JPG|RARE: White switch! DSCN5615.JPG DSCN6693.JPG DSCN6698.JPG DSCN5216.JPG DSCN4880.JPG DSCN5211.JPG DSCN4829.JPG DSCN4830.JPG DSCN5413.JPG DSCN6115.JPG DSCN6116.JPG DSCN6155.JPG|Broken Glass! Not good, as this means that the MCP is not legally compliant. DSCN6314.JPG DSCN6315.JPG Vigilant Series 130 - Retrofitted with SnapGlaze This is an incredibly rare occurrence, but I found a couple of Vigilant Series 130 MCP's that have had Pertronic SnapGlaze retrofitted. One of these is located in a school, and has the correct "switch-down" SnapGlaze fitted. The second, in an office building has the incorrect "press-switch" SnapGlaze, which has not been installed very well, as there is a gap (though maybe it just doesn't fit). DSCN6279.JPG DSCN6728.JPG DSCN6729.JPG Vigilant 130 combined MCP and Alarm This is a very rare type of MCP that has the alarm encased within the call-point unit. These are designed for very cheap installations that usually only require one Alarm & MCP. These are usually directly wired and do not have a panel. DSCN6727.JPG DSCN6704.JPG DSCN6703.JPG Vigilant 130 "Break Glass" Door Release These are pretty rare, as most vigilant systems use the traditional EDR's seen later on this page. The last two photos are from a system that actually use Pertronic MCP's! DSCN5255.JPG DSCN5256.JPG DSCN6735.JPG DSCN6734.JPG Vigilant 130 "Break Glass" Shutdown Switch I found a couple of these up at Uni, which are used a emergency power cut-off switches. These use the white front plate, but a red surface-mount box, which has had black & yellow tape wrapped around it. DSCN6542.JPG DSCN6543.JPG DSCN6544.JPG DSCN6545.JPG DSCN6546.JPG Vigilant 130 "Break Glass" Key Holder/Switch Vigilant offers a key-holder, which is a modified MCP. I have found these is both yellow and white. DSCN5993.JPG DSCN5994.JPG DSCN6133.JPG DSCN6134.JPG DSCN6135.JPG Honeywell "European-Style" MCP's & Door Release These are European-Style MCP's, which are offered by some companies. Pertronic also offers these as an alternative to their own MCPs. These have become a little more common recently, especially in new buildings. You can also get an Emergency Door Release version of this MCP as well. DSCN5076.JPG DSCN5077.JPG DSCN5108.JPG DSCN4939.JPG DSCN5914.JPG DSCN6755.JPG DSCN6753.JPG HyFire "European Style" MCP This is another European-Style MCP. This one is not as common as the Honeywell one, and so far I have only found one installation of these. DSCN5782.JPG DSCN5784.JPG DSCN5786.JPG DSCN5787.JPG DSCN5783.JPG DSCN5785.JPG Fulleon "European Style" MCP (Ampac ACP-05) This is yet another European design MCP that is available for the NZ market. This is protected by a plastic flap, in accordance with NZ guidelines. This MCP is also available from Ampac, and is marketed as the "ACP-05". DSCN6149.JPG DSCN6150.JPG DSCN6151.JPG DSCN6152.JPG DSCN6153.JPG DSCN6162.JPG DSCN6163.JPG DSCN6165.JPG DSCN6166.JPG Ampac ACP-03 (Round-Glass MCP) These are typical "Break Glass - Switch Down" MCPs. I have only found these is older buildings, but according to at the Ampac website, they do still make these. I have recently found one of these with a white label and the Pertronic logo, which I am assuming is just where one has been re-branded. It is also possible to find other white-labeled ACP-03's with other brand names on. DSCN4853.JPG DSCN4855.JPG DSCN5187.JPG DSCN5414.JPG DSCN6689.JPG DSCN5996.JPG DSCN6420.JPG DSCN5677.JPG DSCN5678.JPG DSCN6449.JPG DSCN6450.JPG DSCN6141.JPG DSCN6142.JPG DSCN5796.JPG DSCN6010.JPG|SAFETY NOTICE: This MCP was deactivated when these photos were taken. There was no electrical risk. DSCN6011.JPG|SAFETY NOTICE: This MCP was deactivated when these photos were taken. There was no electrical risk. DSCN6012.JPG|SAFETY NOTICE: This MCP was deactivated when these photos were taken. There was no electrical risk. Ampac Emergency Door Release I've only ever seen one of these. This is a white ACP-03 that has been re-purposed as an EDR. DSCN6637.JPG DSCN6636.JPG Ampac combined EDR & Release Button This is a very clever device! A lot buildings have buttons that you press to open the doors to exit when they're locked after hours, which is there in addition to the Emergency Release. Ampac has very cleverly combined both into one unit, with the steel unit. DSCN6711.JPG DSCN6710.JPG Ampac Panel Switch Like many MCP's, the Ampac ACP-03 can be modified for panel functions, usually mounted on the back of the alarm panel. the first is a white one, with the usual switch. the second is a red one, which has a control knob in place od the switch (this one also has no glass in it, but I assume that there is supposed to be). DSCN6156.JPG DSCN6157.JPG DSCN6145.JPG DSCN6146.JPG Ampac ACP-02 (Drop-Glass MCP) These are quite rare. As with the previous Ampac MCP, I have only found these in older buildings, but their website says that these are still made. These work slightly differently to other MCP's. Instead of breaking the glass, pushing it causes it to drop down out of the way, providing access so the switch. The advantage to this design is that it can be re-set with a key, without needing to unscrew the whole unit (like you have to with SnapGlaze or Break-Glass MCPs). The only flaw with these, is that their black inside makes the tiny switch hard to see, and therefore harder to operate. This MCP would work better if it were bigger and white. Notice how its design closely resembles European-style MCP's. DSCN5716.JPG DSCN5717.JPG DSCN5696.JPG DSCN5755.JPG DSCN5757.JPG DSCN6634.JPG DSCN5676.JPG DSCN6631.JPG DSCN6632.JPG Vigilant Barrel-Shaped MCP These are some very old MCP's that were made by Vigilant. You can still find quite a few of these around, but they have long gone out of production, replaced by the Series 130 (see above). DSCN4665.JPG DSCN4666.JPG DSCN6597.JPG DSCN6598.JPG DSCN5485.JPG DSCN6291.JPG DSCN6302.JPG|Label Reads: "The Vigilant Automatic Fire Alarm Co." DSCN6303.JPG Vigilant Barrel-Shaped "Lift Shaft Ventilation Switch" The same design as above, used for emergency fire ventilation in a lift shaft. DSCN5072.JPG Guardian Alarms MCP These are also an older design of MCP. They were made by Guardian Alarms, who in more recent years have stopped making these and switched to using Pertronic MCP's. There are few different designs for the white section, which usually says Guardian Alarms on, however there is one version I have discovered that does not use their name or logo (this a rare occurrence). I also found two of these with the Pertronic name on, for some reason. DSCN4847.JPG DSCN4852.JPG DSCN5496.JPG DSCN5652.JPG DSCN6293.JPG|Non-Compliant: Oh Dear! Somebody forgot to get the glass replaced after use! DSCN6415.JPG DSCN6416.JPG DSCN6417.JPG DSCN6418.JPG Guardian Alarms MCP - Retrofitted with SnapGlaze This is an incredibly rare occurrence, but I found a Guardian MCP that has had Pertronic SnapGlaze retrofitted to it. DSCN6282.JPG DSCN6283.JPG Guardian Alarms Emergency Door Release This is a white, modified Guardian MCP in use an a Emergency door release switch. DSCN6159.JPG DSCN6158.JPG DSCN6160.JPG Guardian Alarms control-panel switches Some old control panels made by Guardian Alarms use white MCP's as switches for things such as emergency ventilation or silencing alarms. Sometimes these are installed without the front cover or break glass. DSCN5008.JPG DSCN6593.JPG DSCN5754.JPG DSCN6451.JPG VERY RARE - Old Guardian MCP This is a super-rare old Guardian Alarms MCP that I recently discovered at Uni. I found eight units between two stairwells in the library. The north stairwell had them on floors 3, 4, 5 & 6 (other floors had either Ampac ACP-03's or Pertronic's), while the south stairwell had them on floors 5, 6, 7 & 8 (with other floors having either Pertronic's or the other type of Guardian MCP, above). One the face of this design, you could easily mistake it for being an older Vigilant design, but if you look at the white plate inside the MCP it does actually say "Guardian" at the top. DSCN6454.JPG DSCN6455.JPG DSCN6456.JPG DSCN6457.JPG DSCN6458.JPG DSCN6459.JPG DSCN6460.JPG DSCN6462.JPG VERY RARE - Old Circle MCP This is an extremely rare old circle-shaped MCP. All of these photos were taken at the old Wakefield Hospital, which is currently awaiting re-building. Looking at the round design and the label inside, the look like they were made by Ampac (and the bells at this location are also made by Ampac, and there are a number of Ampac ACP-03's here.). DSCN6628.JPG DSCN6629.JPG DSCN6621.JPG DSCN6622.JPG DSCN6623.JPG DSCN6624.JPG DSCN6627.JPG DSCN5029.JPG Rectangle MCP/EDR (Unknown make) These rectangle-shaped Manual Call Points are dotted around the country, but I seem to be having difficulty finding them in Wellington. I am quite unlucky, in that most of the ones I have found have been in locations where I cannot photograph them. The one in the last picture is actually an Emergency Door Release. Why they've decided to use red with the "FIRE" text for an EDR is beyond me! EDR's are usually white or green. DSCN6687.JPG DSCN6682.JPG DSCN6688.JPG DSCN5682.JPG Integrated MCP & Bell (Unknown make) These are a very rare type of Manual Call Point that encompass the alarm (in this case, a bell) within the unit itself. I don't know who made these. Studying the toggle switch used, these appear to be made by the same manufacturer as the rectangle design above. DSCN6059.JPG DSCN6062.JPG DSCN6060.JPG DSCN6061.JPG Old Rounded integrated Alarm & MCP This is an incredibly rare, large MCP that has an alarm integrated into. I do not know if the integrated alarm is a bell or an electronic alarm. Unlike other integrated units, which have the sound holes on the front,k this design places them on the sides of the unit. There was once another here, but it has been replaced with a Vigilant 130. There is also a smaller variant of this MCP, which I am not sure if it still has the integral alarm or not. DSCN6084.JPG DSCN6083.JPG DSCN6085.JPG DSCN6086.JPG Standard Door Release These Door Release's are everywhere, and used by most companies, including Pertronic. DSCN4862.JPG DSCN4899.JPG DSCN5684.JPG DSCN5657.JPG European-Style Door Release These European-style "Press Here" Door Releases come in a few various designs. For simplicity, I've included them all here. The "Push Hard to Operate" ones are pretty common, but the other designs are fairly rare. Most of these are found on older systems. The design above is used on most new applications these days. DSCN4851.JPG DSCN4884.JPG DSCN5839.JPG DSCN5616.JPG DSCN5617.JPG DSCN5635.JPG DSCN5667.JPG DSCN5692.JPG Fire Fighting Enterprises (FFE) "Silence Alarms" panel switch. This a break-glass Silence Alarms switch I found on an old FFE panel. I do not know of any MCPs made by FFE, as this particular installation had Guardian Alarms and Pertronic Call Points instead. DSCN6307.JPG Speakers The sound made by NZ fire Alarms was standardized in 2003, and it is a legal requirement for all systems post-2003 to use this alert sound. If you ever hear a fire alarm that makes a different sound, then it must be older than 2003. Standard Horn These are rather Horn-shaped speakers that emit a very loud noise. These are used by all current Fire Alarm companies in NZ. These are usually red, but can sometimes by white or gold. The manufacturer of there horns is a complete unknown. These are actually very cheap - you can buy them for around $60(NZ) online. They are used worldwide for all sorts of things, including emergency vehicle sirens, security systems and more. My school even had some Red ones as Security Alarms in some buildings (even though the were the same colour as fire alarms, they were connected to the security system). When looking through these photos, you'll notice that the back piece (contacting the mounting plate and the speaker) is not always the same. The version with lines on is the current design, and the version with a smooth finish is the old design. DSCN4845.JPG DSCN4835.JPG DSCN4928.JPG DSCN5189.JPG DSCN4828.JPG DSCN4831.JPG DSCN4854.JPG DSCN6497.JPG DSCN6498.JPG DSCN5637.JPG DSCN5643.JPG DSCN5644.JPG DSCN5695.JPG DSCN6702.JPG DSCN4857.JPG DSCN4858.JPG MPH-5300 Horn This is a horn that is very rare on New Zealand systems. I found this at a School, which has just one of these connected up to other horns like those above. Pertronic advertises these on their website. DSCN5954.JPG DSCN5953.JPG Redback Large Horn These horns are very big and very loud. They're designed for warehouses and big open spaces (yet somehow they are also often used in places that don't need an alarm this big & loud). These are made by Redback. DSCN5234.JPG DSCN5235.JPG DSCN5236.JPG DSCN4838.JPG DSCN4841.JPG DSCN4839.JPG DSCN4920.JPG Other Horns Here are a few other various horns that have been used on Fire Alarm systems. It's actually not very common to find this happen. DSCN6271.JPG DSCN6272.JPG DSCN6300.JPG DSCN6301.JPG Ceiling Speakers These speakers are very common, and come in various designs. sizes and styles. They are always white. Sometimes they are mounted on walls, instead of the ceiling. All current companies, including Wormald and Pertronic use these speakers. For Pertronic, they make up the PSS3 and PSS5 ranges. DSCN4887.JPG DSCN5158.JPG DSCN4891.JPG DSCN4894.JPG DSCN4849.JPG DSCN4874.JPG DSCN4895.JPG DSCN4933.JPG DSCN5109.JPG DSCN4934.JPG DSCN4938.JPG DSCN4882.JPG DSCN5789.JPG Small Speakers Pertronic offers some small speakers on a rectangle plastic plate (the same that gets used from light switches). These come in either red or white, and can also come with a red light. These make up the PSS1 range. The black-grey one you see below, isn't actually that colour, it's just been painted over. DSCN5603.JPG DSCN5613.JPG DSCN5840.JPG DSCN5956.JPG DSCN5957.JPG DSCN5122.JPG DSCN5112.JPG DSCN5111.JPG DSCN5602.JPG Mini Speaker Similar to above, but with only a very tiny speaker. DSCN6308.JPG DSCN6309.JPG DSCN6310.JPG Small Square Speaker This is fairly rare square speaker. These look quite old, but I did find this one in an almost-new building, so there's a chance that they still make these (unless it had been recycled form another installation). DSCN5958.JPG DSCN5959.JPG Old Speakers I have only found one installation of these so far. These are on an old Vigilant-Wormald system. DSCN4883.JPG European Speakers Small speakers such as these are common in very small buildings ans small shops. That said, you can find them in larger applications too (such as Briscoes in Porirua, which uses three of them on the wall of a big warehouse-type shop). These generally come from companies in the UK. Pertronic, Wormald and others all offer these sounders. DSCN5212.JPG DSCN5623.JPG DSCN5624.JPG DSCN5218.JPG DSCN5217.JPG DSCN5610.JPG DSCN5612.JPG DSCN5614.JPG DSCN5608.JPG DSCN5605.JPG DSCN5606.JPG DSCN4948.JPG DSCN5215.JPG DSCN6337.JPG DSCN6338.JPG DSCN6335.JPG DSCN6336.JPG Roshni Sounder These are basic alarm sounders that get used for all kinds of uses, of which fire alarms is just one. These are actually very rare on Fire Alarm systems in New Zealand, but they're quite common here for other uses. DSCN5950.JPG DSCN5951.JPG DSCN6340.JPG Old Red Speakers Some rather uncommon old speakers.....they are VERY loud! I think these are quite old, and I suspect that many of them have been replaced in a number locations. Most of them appear to have been installed by Guardian alarms....whether or not they actually made them is another question altogether. DSCN4846.JPG DSCN4670.JPG DSCN4896.JPG DSCN4881.JPG DSCN4931.JPG DSCN4932.JPG DSCN5683.JPG Old Red Small Speaker These old speakers are very rare. They can sometimes be combined with a red light. DSCN6092.JPG DSCN6093.JPG DSCN6094.JPG DSCN6339.JPG DSCN6346.JPG DSCN6347.JPG Old barrel-shaped Speaker These speakers are made using the same plastic used on the manufacturer's (who ever they are) Manual Call Points. so far, I have only found one location that has a couple of these (the rest have been replaced with modern sounders). DSCN5762.JPG DSCN5763.JPG DSCN5767.JPG Bells Not many places have fire bells any-more, as standard alarms sound shave been required in NZ since 2003. A few old systems still use bells. A lot of schools also use bells, and they are used as the main school bell as well as for fires. Modern Fire Alarm speakers can be programmed with a computer-generated school bell sound to emulate this. Click Here to here it. (My school had this sound!). DSCN5196.JPG DSCN5197.JPG DSCN5198.JPG DSCN5199.JPG DSCN5200.JPG DSCN5201.JPG DSCN5202.JPG DSCN5203.JPG DSCN5204.JPG DSCN5205.JPG DSCN5206.JPG DSCN5207.JPG DSCN5208.JPG DSCN5209.JPG DSCN5210.JPG DSCN5484.JPG DSCN5948.JPG DSCN5949.JPG DSCN5952.JPG DSCN4924.JPG DSCN5991.JPG DSCN5638.JPG DSCN5985.JPG DSCN5713.JPG Light & Strobes The idea of having strobe lights on Fire Alarms is really only a thing in North America. However, I have found one set of American Strobes made by System Sensor, installed on a Pertronic System. These are strobes only - the actual alarms are ceiling speakers. Some places have flashing red lights included in their fire alarm system (offered bgy Pertronic) for the hearing impaired. System Sensor Strobes These are made in the USA by System sensor. DSCN4941.JPG DSCN4942.JPG Flashing Red Lights These are just typical, cheap lights with a coloured lens. DSCN4914.JPG DSCN4917.JPG DSCN4894.JPG DSCN4868.JPG DSCN5681.JPG DSCN6618.JPG DSCN5028.JPG DSCN6087.JPG DSCN6088.JPG DSCN6090.JPG "Break Glass" Key Holders These are red plastic holders that contains special keys for emergency use only. to get the key out, you have to break the glass (which is sometimes actually made of plastic). DSCN5679.JPG Key-locked Cupboards & Fire Extinguisher Fire Extinguisher For some stupid reason, someone decided it was a good idea to lock fire extinguishers into cabinets and require you to break the glass and get the key.....time that could be best used fighting the bloody fire and stopping it spreading. DSCN6143.JPG DSCN6144.JPG